Chapter VI: 1st of Ches, The Year of Shadows, 1358, Dale Reckoning

In which our hero adventures in Westgate.

It was just nice to pick this back up again and get back to it. I didn’t realize how much I’ve missed Hal’s adventures through the Realms. That said, I liked Hal’s debauchery through Westgate and watching him truly fall in love with Reltav. That was really interesting.

Daniel’s Favorite Moment

This was the hardest chapter in this story (quite possibly the hardest roleplaying experience in my gaming career) for a number of reasons. Hal was/is in a very dark place, and many times during the chapter I almost felt him slip from my fingers into the void. I/He found some anchors in the unlikest of places, namely Reltav and embracing the dark side of his persona, and only in doing so was I able to keep a hold of him, his essence, his story. Finding those anchors wasn’t easy either because as this chapter developed, I found myself not liking where Hal was headed. We started in such sunlight in the forest, and the shadows of the alleys of Westgate seemed so far from that, so deep from that sunshine. The real-world demands on my time due to Nursing school only served to give me the time I needed to come to terms with where the story had gone, accept it, and embrace it. After all, all ballads have a part whe the hero goes into the underworld and encounters a dark reflection. I had to accept that violent, immoral part of Hal—HE had to accept it—so that we could move along. I look forward to the ascent into the light once more, especially now that Hal has changed.

I will also one day have something to say about Hal’s dual nature vis-a-vis the two women he loves, Reltav and Nasharel.

Readers, please feel free to post about your favorite moments in the comments. Thanks again for your comments and tweets. Your readership is immensely flattering and really does contribute energy to the game.